Hello, My child is in class 8 kolkata. I want him to pursue college in USA. Does he have to give SAT, ACT or do IB or Cambridge AICE.. Please guide. Thank you

Ans: You have already taken some key steps in the right direction. Let me guide you towards achieving your Rs 5 crore corpus goal with a structured, 360-degree plan. This advice comes with your short 2-year time frame, income flow, and existing assets in mind.

Current Financial Snapshot – Assessment

You are already on a stable base:

Age: 57+ years, 2 years from retirement.

Monthly net salary: Rs 2.15 lakh.

Existing savings:

PF: Rs 2 crore.

PPF: Rs 40 lakh.

FD: Rs 20 lakh.

Retiral benefits (due at retirement): Rs 40 lakh.

MF SIP (started recently): Rs 5 lakh value, Rs 10,000/month.

EMI of Rs 40,000 ending just before retirement.

Own house – no rent burden.

Monthly expense: Rs 1.8 lakh.

Post-retirement pension: Rs 1 lakh/month.

Well-insured family and self.

This gives a very good head-start. You are already financially disciplined. Your lifestyle is well-planned. You are consistent in saving. But the target of Rs 5 crore in 2 years is slightly tight. So, every rupee now must work harder.

Goal Feasibility – Analysis of Rs 5 Crore Target

Let’s review if this goal is realistic:

Current accumulated wealth: Rs 3.05 crore (PF + PPF + FD + MF).

Retiral benefits in 2 years: Rs 40 lakh more.

Total likely corpus in 2 years without new investments: Rs 3.45 crore.

Gap to Rs 5 crore: Rs 1.55 crore.

Your income surplus is approx. Rs 35,000 per month (Rs 2.15 lakh income – Rs 1.8 lakh expense – Rs 40,000 EMI). EMI will stop in 2 years. That will free more cashflow, but not now. With just Rs 35,000/month savings, achieving Rs 1.55 crore extra in 2 years needs very high returns. That is not advisable near retirement.

Hence, you need:

Clear cost management.

Smarter savings redirection.

Enhanced allocation in high potential assets.

Realistic goal adjustment if needed.

Action Plan – Smart Steps for Next 2 Years

Let us now break down what to do.

1. Re-align Your Monthly Budget
Current surplus is Rs 35,000/month.

Cut monthly lifestyle spend from Rs 1.8 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh.

Free up Rs 65,000+ per month for investments.

This increase is key to reach your Rs 5 crore goal.

2. Increase Equity Exposure Strategically
You started SIP in equity MF. Good beginning.

Rs 10,000/month is very low for your goal.

Increase it to Rs 50,000/month if possible.

Invest in well-managed diversified mutual funds.

Use regular plans through a Certified Financial Planner.

Avoid direct plans. They offer no guidance or risk management.

Regular plans allow you access to a certified MFD + CFP support.

This handholding is vital at your stage.

Disadvantage of Direct Plans:

No portfolio review.

No exit strategy support.

No emotional handholding in market volatility.

You might choose wrong funds.

Saving 0.5%-1% fee is not worth big risk at this stage.

Instead, pay a small trail fee and get full guidance. That is safer and more profitable in the long run.

3. Lumpsum Allocation from FD + PPF
PPF and PF are debt-heavy.

FD returns are taxable and low.

You need growth assets now.

Action:

Move Rs 10 lakh from FD into 2 lumpsum tranches of Rs 5 lakh each.

Use them in equity mutual funds via Systematic Transfer Plan (STP).

STP gives gradual market exposure.

This protects you from sudden market crashes.

PPF: Continue till maturity. Don’t break. It's safe and tax-free.

FD: Don’t increase allocation. Use only as emergency buffer.

4. Retiral Benefits to Be Invested Wisely
Rs 40 lakh expected on retirement.

Don’t keep it in savings account or FD.

Split into 2 parts:

Rs 15 lakh into hybrid or balanced mutual funds.

Rs 25 lakh in short duration debt mutual funds for 2–4 year needs.

Use mutual funds, not bank products.

Bank products give lower return and are taxable. Mutual funds give better growth and flexibility.

5. Monthly SIP Discipline and Staggering
Increase SIP gradually each quarter if possible.

Target Rs 75,000–80,000/month within 12 months.

Use diversified equity mutual funds across large, mid and flexi-cap categories.

Avoid sector funds or thematic funds. Too risky.

Avoid index funds:

No active management.

Cannot avoid loss in falling markets.

Underperforms in sideways or volatile markets.

Lack flexibility and safety in retirement stage.

Advantage of actively managed funds:

Can shift to cash or debt when needed.

Expertly curated by experienced fund managers.

Less risk in volatile times.

This is important for your risk profile.

Post Retirement Strategy – Manage Withdrawal and Income Smartly

After retirement:

Monthly pension: Rs 1 lakh.

Your current monthly need: Rs 1.8 lakh.

Monthly gap: Rs 80,000.

So, your corpus should generate Rs 80,000/month = Rs 9.6 lakh/year.

Step-by-step plan:

Use debt and hybrid funds to generate fixed withdrawals.

Use equity fund growth for long-term needs.

Keep 1 year of expenses in ultra short-term fund.

Replenish it every 12 months from equity/debt growth.

Don’t withdraw from equity funds in loss phase.

Use buffer funds instead. This avoids selling in down markets.

Tax Impact Planning – Avoid Surprises

Equity mutual fund long term capital gain (LTCG) over Rs 1.25 lakh is taxed at 12.5%.

Short term gains (STCG) taxed at 20%.

Debt mutual funds taxed as per your slab.

Plan redemptions carefully with your CFP.

Spread out withdrawals to reduce tax burden.

Avoid fixed deposits for income. They are taxed at your slab rate.

Emergency and Contingency Plan

Keep Rs 10 lakh in liquid fund or ultra-short duration debt fund.

This is for health emergency or family needs.

Don’t touch your retirement corpus for this.

Emotional and Family Considerations

Talk to spouse and family about spending reduction for next 2 years.

Avoid lifestyle upgrades.

No unnecessary gifting or lending.

Involve family in investment discussions.

This helps them manage better later.

What Not to Do Now

Don’t invest in real estate. It lacks liquidity.

Don’t buy new insurance policies.

Don’t invest in NPS or ULIPs now.

Don’t go for annuities. Poor returns and no growth.

Don’t keep big cash in bank FDs.

Finally – Key Insights and Recommendations

Rs 5 crore goal is possible with smart moves.

Cut spending. Increase savings.

Use equity mutual funds more.

Avoid FDs and other low-yield products.

Work closely with a Certified Financial Planner.

Avoid emotional investing decisions.

Keep health insurance active always.

Build a withdrawal strategy from day one after retirement.

Revisit and re-balance portfolio every 6 months.

Protect capital. Grow smartly. Spend wisely.

Your financial discipline is already strong. With better strategy, the final stretch will be successful.

Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

Ans: Hello dear.
Prioritize your chosen field of interest. If you are interested in chemical engineering, consider eliminating other options like BITs. UPES-D is a reputable institution, making it a better choice to help you achieve your dreams.
Best of luck.
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Radheshyam

Ans: Hello Samyak
If you are happy with Production engineering, then consider VJTI. However, based on your MHT-CET score, it seems likely you could secure a seat in the CSE branch at a reputable college in Maharashtra. If possible, hold your seat at VIT by paying the nominal provisional fees and actively participate in MS counseling to explore better options. Suggested path: Choose the college allotted via MHT-CET. The final decision will be yours.
Best of luck.
Follow me if you like the reply. Thanks
Radheshyam

Ans: Hello dear
It is not possible for us to suggest names of colleges here on this platform. You did not mention the name of the exam in which he achieved a 91.6 percentile, nor did you specify your home state. But he has a chance to get admission to good colleges
Best of luck.
Follow me if you like the reply. Thanks
Radheshyam

Ans: Uma Madam, VIT-AP’s Mechanical Engineering (Robotics) offers 90% placement consistency, specialized robotics labs and global collaborations, making it strong for a core?engineering foundation. SASTRA University’s CSE Streams yield 95.6% overall placements, active AI/ML research centres and strong internship pipelines, with Stream-2 (Rank 8,447) more secure than Stream-1(18,678). Sanjay Ghodawat University’s CSE AI&ML reports 75%–90% placements, emerging AI labs and regional industry ties but lower recruiter density than SASTRA. TS EAMCET rank 27,827 secures limited state options. For an MS in AI&ML abroad, a robust AI curriculum and research exposure at SASTRA Stream-2 outshine other offers, followed by VIT-AP for its technical rigor. Recommendation: Join SASTRA University Stream-2 for AI&ML, with VIT-AP Mechanical as a strong fallback for robotics focus. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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Ans: With a PESU rank of 3094, direct admission to Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at the Ring Road (RR) campus in Round 2 is highly unlikely, as the closing rank for CSE at RR campus in 2024 was around 1,247–1,570, and even in extended rounds, it rarely exceeds 2,000 for the general category. The Electronic City (EC) campus typically admits CSE candidates up to rank 3,200, making your current seat at EC campus a realistic outcome for your rank. Upgradation to RR campus in subsequent rounds depends entirely on seat withdrawals by higher-ranked candidates, and historical data shows that such movement is rare beyond the 2,000 rank mark for CSE at RR campus. It is advisable to retain your EC campus CSE seat (if you have NO other options than PES) and participate in all further rounds, but set expectations accordingly, as sliding to RR campus is improbable at rank 3,094. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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Ans: Mohammed, Choosing Integrated M.Sc. in Food Science & Technology at VIT Vellore offers specialization in food processing, quality control, R&D and regulatory roles across FMCG, dairy and government sectors, with placement eligibility from the 5th year and typical placement rates for food technology grads reaching 80–90% in similar institutes. A B.Sc. in Computer Science delivers broader IT roles—software developer, web engineer, data analyst, cybersecurity specialist—with freshers’ employability near 85–95% across recruitments by major tech firms like TCS, Infosys, and Cognizant. Food science careers often require a master’s for core research, whereas B.Sc. CS secures entry-level IT roles immediately after three years. Given limited financial resources and need for early income, B.Sc. CS enables quicker campus placement participation, diverse job profiles and higher early-career hiring flexibility, whereas Food Science placements commence later and may involve internships before securing permanent roles. Recommendation: pursue B.Sc. Computer Science for faster employability, diverse entry-level opportunities and earlier financial support for family needs. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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Ans: Gnaneshwar Sir, With EAPCET 3,300, COMEDK 13,000, and Amrita (Amritapuri) 2,000 ranks, securing CSE or ECE at Amrita Amritapuri offers 90–95% placements and dedicated VLSI labs with Synopsys, Cadence, and Xilinx tools in a research?driven environment. SASTRA’s ECE at Thanjavur reports 90–100% placements, strong core-electronics exposure, and a median package of ?7.6 LPA, but limited VLSI specialization tracks. Sahyadri Group’s Sahasra College of Engineering (assuming “Sahasra”) maintains ~85% ECE placements with nascent VLSI workshops and local industry tie-ups. For deep VLSI focus, Amrita’s hands?on labs, industry collaborations, and high placement density in core-electronics and chip design make it the optimal choice, with SASTRA as a solid fallback for broader electronics roles.

Recommendation: Choose Amrita Amritapuri ECE/CSE for strongest VLSI?centric curriculum and placement consistency, listing SASTRA ECE as secondary. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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Ans: Amity University Mohali offers a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering (Data Science) with a curriculum covering data analytics, machine learning, IoT, and cloud computing, supported by modern labs and a faculty largely comprising PhD holders from reputed institutions. The campus is newly established, so its first B.Tech batch will graduate in 2025, meaning full placement outcomes are not yet available; however, Amity claims over 70% placement rates in CSE/IT branches, with major recruiters like Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, and Deloitte participating in university-wide drives. Infrastructure is rated highly, with air-conditioned classrooms, advanced labs, and good hostel facilities, though some students note average mess food and slow Wi-Fi. Amity Mohali is UGC-approved, NAAC-accredited, and has international collaborations, but it is not yet ranked in the NIRF top 100, unlike Amity Noida. The Data Science specialization is industry-aligned, and internships begin in the third year, with most students securing relevant opportunities. As the campus and its placement cell mature, outcomes are expected to improve, but for now, it is a reasonable option for those seeking a private university with good infrastructure and industry exposure, though aspirants may consider more established campuses if higher placement certainty is a priority. All the BEST for the Admission & a Prosperous Future!

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